Heya Dudes! Are you guys fans of really weird bathroom selfies taken in a #teenish sort of way? I hope that you are because that is exactly what I have to share with you today. Actually it’s a little cooler than that, remember last year when I started my babe morph mission? I am super proud to share with you guys that just this week (1 year later) I have made it to my goal!

Well, I had two goals, one was a 20lb weight loss goal, and the other (that I never thought I would be able to achieve) was 30lbs. Guess what? I totally made it to 30, and I feel so awesome about it.

It’s been a year since I posted about this so just to refresh your memory; I was two years out from having my second kid and I still had a lot of baby weight. I was so over it! Not only that but I had been carrying around at least 15 extra pounds of beer weight from a Party Prime I took part in during my mid-twenties.

I woke up one morning and decided that I was going to change. I was going to lose the weight, and there was just no going back. It was making me miserable and I felt totally uncomfortable in my own skin. Starting that day I began walking 3-5 miles every morning, 7 days a week. I’ve kept it up for over a year, settling in recently on a 6 day a week walking routine. I leave my house every morning between 5:20 and 6:00 depending on the length of the walk. I’m an early, early bird now, incapable of sleeping in. It totally blows on the weekends.

However, I wouldn’t change it for anything. Not only have I lost the weight I wanted to, but the walking has made my body stronger and healthier than it has ever been in my adult life. I still might have stretch marks and stuff, but I feel better about myself than I ever have. Now I like wearing new clothes and dresses and swimsuits and shit, even though most days I’m happy in a pair of jorts and a muddy tank top.

Weight loss is very hard. It takes time and commitment and almost always it requires a lifestyle change. I remember the first month I focused on something my friend told me. It takes 28 days to create a habit. On those first days that I didn’t want to walk, or I was tempted to make bad food choices, I remembered those words and it became a mantra of sorts. I knew that if I exercised daily and ate well that there was no way around it; I would begin to lose weight. All I had to do was make it a habit.

I lost the first 20lbs by mid November losing only a couple more over the winter. The winter was hard and there were days that I would eat and drink and be merry in order to stave off those winter blues, that’s how us Midwesterners cope – but I still kept up walking every day. I can’t tell you how miserable it was to get up in -25º weather to drive to the gym to walk on a tread mill staring at my reflection in a window because it was too dark outside to see a view. I was committed though, and I didn’t want to give up on my goal. Taking part in those daily walks allowed me to maintain the weight loss that I had worked so hard for – therefore it was worth every cold, depressing, lame minute of it.

As soon as the spring came back I was outside again daily, and I am so happy for that. I decided that I wanted to go for the big goal and lose the last 7lbs – so I did!

I’m a year in now, and I hope that I stay committed to my goals over the coming months and years. I don’t want to go back and I don’t want to forget how much I enjoy walking and feeling healthy. I am proud of myself.

I also want to encourage any of you who are struggling with your weight, I want you to know you can do it. You need to make the choice and start a habit. In a way, it’s as easy as making a decision and being committed to that decision. Easier said than done, I know, but really that’s what it’s all about. I’m still walking daily, with my trusty fitbit at myside (or tucked into my bra as it were). Follow along if you wish or find me on the mapmywalk app (username deucecities), we can all be friends!

Thanks for listening to my story and looking at my funny selfie pics. I promise there will be no more.
P.S. I just looked at my fitbit stats and over the last year I have walked, 2,012.70 miles, tyte.

I’m proud of you, my friend! So much of life requires perseverance and you’ve proven you have what it takes. You’re healthier, happier, and know the power of your own will and dedication. That is a beautiful thing!

Virtual high five! I have also lost 30-ish pounds in the last year, and I think you are dead on about forming new lifestyle habits. I don’t exercise every day, but I do have my weekly routines that keep me going.

Isn’t it awesome to feel strong and healthy, and then get a new wardrobe on top of it? Congrats.

Delurking to comment for the first time – You look so great! I can’t remember how I stumbled on your blog but I love the inspiration it provides it as I’m renovating our little house and garden. I am also two years out from my last baby, feeling pretty average about myself and I needed a little motivation on this front so THANK YOU! (all the way from Newcastle, Australia) x

Thank you so much Kate, I really appreciate the comment. I’m so happy that things I write about benefit others in some small way. I know how hard it is to carry around that baby weight – it stinks to be in that transition stage. Good luck to you, you can do it!

This is wonderful – good on you for taking a moment to acknowledge your hard work and accountability. It’s great that it sounds like you’ve changed how you feel as much as how you look. From a MENTAL health standpoint, as a parent it is so important to carve out time for something that is 100% for yourself…but (speaking firsthand) so hard to do. High fives all around!

It is so hard to carve out that time, Claire. I definitely have to take a cat nap in the afternoons to make up for the early mornings. Balance is def something we all have to figure out with those kids in our life. My husband has been more than generous giving me the time to do this, he has gotten the kids up and settled every morning for the last year. I couldn’t have done it without his help. Thank you for your comment!

Whoop! Atta girl. You are rockin’ that cute, little polka dot number, too! By the way, LOVE this blog. I discovered it a few months ago and visit often because, ahem, you have become my gardening idol. In fact, all of the happy little plants in my new beds would probably be withered and gross if not for some timely Scoop tips. Mulch, baby, mulch…

Wow, great job. And you will keep the weight off because you lost it slow and steady, not on some crash diet. I seem to gain and lose the same 15 pounds ever since I had kids. (And it all goes right to my stomach, not an attractive look!) Cutting out carbs seems to be the only thing that works for me. Exercise isn’t enough anymore, I guess my metabolism has permanently changed.

Hey, Lexy! You are probably right, I am really scared of putting the weight back on but it probably has a better chance of staying off because it took so long to get off. I know that feeling of having it go to your stomach – I still have some saggy stomach stuff going on, and I’ve just decided to accept it as the way it is post kids. It does take a lot of work doesn’t it – exercise and meal planning, woof – I remember when I was in my 20’s I could lose 5lbs during a week of better eating.

CONGRATS!!!!!!! good for you, you look great and what is more important is you feel good, and it feels so good to accomplish your goals. my son is about to turn three years old and I have to do something about my weight and my entire self

You can do it! Summer is the best time to get started, and I think it’s easy to eat healthier even with all the bbq’s and stuff. My husband and I grill veggies all the time and eat lots of salads. Go for what you want!

Congratulations on your great achievement! I have a ways to go, and am psyching myself up to get going. I’m a bit older than you, so the weight comes off even slower for me… Not an excuse! Had hip replacement this year, so now I can walk without pain! Live in Florida, so no weather excuses! Wondering if you followed a certain food plan? Once again, great job! Really enjoy your blog!

Thanks, Janice! So happy for you that you can walk without pain. My mom has had a knee replacement before and I’ve seen from her the struggles with recovery and the joy of being pain free.

As far as food plans go, mine was pretty general. It’s all about the math, I’m a big believer in that. I use my fitbit to record my daily exercise and movement. Through the website and app I record my calories. The website adjusts for you allotted calories based on how much exercise you have done throughout the day. You can also set the level of how quickly you want to lose weight and how intense you want your plan to be. I typically eat around 1200 calories a day. I try and eat a lot of low calorie veggies, salads and use up more of my calories on protein. I would totally recommend getting a fitbit, I’ve been using mine for almost 3 years.

Congrats. I started walking to work in January. 1.1 miles each way, 25 minutes. I have a love/hate relationship with my commute. The weather is always crap: freezing in winter, too humid right now. And I wish some of the streets I walk down were more attractive. But my waist is smaller, my legs are more toned and my moods are elevated which is a big deal for someone with a history of depression. So much easier to walk to work than to convince myself to go to the gym regularly. I have a class I love that I do 2x a week.

Way to GO! YOU DID IT! I remember commenting on this last year, and I’m sitting in roughly the same form I was then. (Boo.) Other than tracking what you ate and making good choices, did you follow a particular eating plan? You are inspiring. I showed my husband and we agreed we should do this. No more excuses. Meg

Yeah Meg! You can totally do it!!! If you start on fitbit or mapmywalk look me up, I’ll cheer you on. I didn’t follow a specific eating plan, just counted calories when I was really trying super hard to lose the pounds. I gave myself the winter to maintain, I knew it would be really hard to lose weight during those months with Christmas and Thanksgiving and all. There was def meals of meat and cheese plates, but I just tried to make up for it by keeping the walking going everyday. Putting in the time to walk everyday was like a constant reminder of the goal I was trying to achieve, even if I knew that I’d be drinking a ton of beer that night, maybe I wouldn’t drink as many. I don’t know if that makes sense, but it worked for me.

Love this blog and its mix of gardening, lifestyle, and recipes. One of my new favorites! Congrats on accomplishing goals. I have to laugh when I think back to my college self who would routinely drop 5-8 pounds just by avoiding soda and sweets for a short spurt of time. Haha!! And I thought that was dedication back then! How the metabolism changes…… You look wonderful!

This was incredibly inspiring to read. In fact, I cannot stop thinking about how simple this is. You’re so brave for walking in that extreme cold( I live about 15 miles north of you) and if you survived, I’m sure I could too! This is exactly what I needed to get myself motivated. Thank you for sharing!!

Wow Melissa, Thanks! It really is unbelievable to me that I could inspire others – it actually blows me away when I hear that. The cold was hard, and it felt silly wearing a parka to exercise. 10º or a negative wind chill was my cutoff, on those days I would go to the gym, and unfortunately there were a lot of gym days last winter. Best of luck to you!